


An Unlikely Team

by Zillidan



Series: Dark Secrets [1]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Gilneas, Kidnapping, Party Fight, Party meeting each other, crime syndicate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25673164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zillidan/pseuds/Zillidan
Summary: Five unlikely allies meet up to tackle a crime syndicate in an old Gilnean manor.
Series: Dark Secrets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1861570





	An Unlikely Team

Like most days in Gilneas, blackened clouds filled the sky and rain poured. For the last few days, in fact, the region hadn’t seen anything less than a cold damp landscape off of and on rain, that only seemed to let up for a couple of hours at a time. As the rain poured into the late afternoon, what little sun beginning to dip behind the filled sky, most of the area remained quiet. Ever since the Cataclysm had exposed the Human Kingdom of Gilneas to the rest of the world, the Region had seen constant strife. At first, the Worgen disease ravaged the populace both by turning the Gilneans into the beasts themselves, or the animals ravaging those that called the city their home. Shortly after, the Cataclysm took most of the landmass into the sea, drowning out a lot of the population. From there, the Forsaken invasion had the Gilneans, now proudly wearing the Worgen curse as a badge of honour, out of their homeland. However, due to the victorious effort of their new Alliance allies, drove the Forsaken out of their home, leaving the region physically scarred from conflict, and mostly empty. Though groups, like the Black Dragonflight, took control of the region for short bursts of time, the region has remained mainly devoid of people, except for those that used the land to squat upon.  
Shortly after the defeat of the Burning Legion, a story made its way to the ears of Gilneans living in Stormwind of some kind of mystery in Gilneas. A crime syndicate had taken over one of the larger manors nestled in the western Headlands and began kicking people out of the region. Those that didn’t comply went missing. News had reached Genn Greymane, King of Gilneas, and though his heart wanted him to head to his home and retake it, the current Siege of Lordaeron being planned was much more important. Thus, the task was sent to the local Mercenary’s Lodge of Stormwind. It was here that legal mercenaries would receive contracts from the lodge given by people of the Alliance all over Azeroth, and be given compensation for their work. As the task was seemingly too large for a single person, or even a team of two to complete, the lodge handed out the contracts to five of their best, all currently in different parts of the world. With the prize bounty being high and the job seemingly easy, these five individuals accepted and each began their own journey to Gilneas to see what lay in store for them.  
The rain gently tinged off of the metal armour of Sir Nolan Prescott. Having just arrived, the young Human Warrior spat out another bit of water that had pooled up in his facial hair as he walked towards the meeting place. He had a chiselled jaw, brown hair, full brown beard, and was built strong. This was his first time in Gilneas, in fact, his first time even outside of the areas that Stormwind still held direct jurisdiction over. Being somewhat of a prodigy, the boy was knighted at a young age and through natural talent, became a formidable mercenary. Judging by the little sun he saw, he smirked at the idea of being the first one to arrive, having left very early at the moment the contract came to him. The last thing expected as he moved through the tree line was the two gentle glows of both firelight, and from something else. Pushing into the clearing he saw a small tent with a small fire inside, and a rotted out stump with a curious woman sitting upon it. Dressed in a fine purple armour adorned with even deeper purple crystals and a large hammer capped with the same stone, the being had her eyes closed and a libram open to a page with a glowing sigil hovering above pages that didn't seem to get wet and the same symbol hovering in front of her forehead. She was tall, muscular, purple-skinned, and had short brown hair that undercut on one side. Grinning, Nolan stepped forward as the Draenei’s eyes opened and turned towards him.

“Well, I thought I would be the first one here, but it seems like the most attractive people get here second. Being first only means you are a close second.”

Nolan’s grin only grew as the Libram snapped shut, the Draenei lifting herself to her hooves by her hammer and snapping the book to her waist. She walked forward, graceful for someone almost a foot taller than the Knight, leaning down and looking at the Human, the rain dancing off their armour in the silence. Finally, she extended a hand and with a serious look, greeted him.

“You must be Nolan then. I am Vindicator Voranaar, though you can call me Vora if you prefer and in combat should my attention be required. I am to understand you will be the muscle of this party?”

He shrugged, patting his sword and shield, “That is why I am here.” He said, reaching out and taking her hand, bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Vora.”

Rolling her eyes, Voranaar instinctively pulled her hand back, looking him over once more before turning and walking back towards her setup.

“I am glad to see at least one other person is punctual. Once the others arrive, we will go over the plans I have and then I would like to be at the manor at no later than just past dusk.”

The man cocked his head, laughing as he looked at the rolled-up parchments in her hand. “Plan? I already thought up our plan on the way here. You follow me into this manor and watch my back, keeping us alive healer, and we have this done in a couple of hours. Afterwards, we will get to know each other a bit more.”

Expressionless, Voranaar walked back to Nolan, placing a hand on his breastplate and scowling. “Not only was I brought here for my healing capabilities, but for my military prowess. I was here much earlier than you, plotting out the best course of action to take. I suggest you listen before you get us all killed.”

As Nolan opened his mouth, they heard a shuffling in the background. Out of the trees, something came, but neither could detect any person present. “I hope I am not interrupting anything serious here.” Whipping around the opposite direction, a young woman was sitting back on the stump, dressed head to toe in tight blue and black leather, daggers on her hips, her raven locks almost hiding her cute brown eyes and a black cloth over her mouth. Pulling it down, she curled her lips into a smile as she approached.

“Names Leiah, Leiah Hartford, but you already knew that. She smirked, extending a hand and shaking each of the individual's hands. “I’d apologize for my tardiness, but it seems like I am the third one here.”

Voranaar sighed, wondering what he had gotten into as Nolan began flirting with the newcomer as well. Walking back to the tent she noticed someone lurking off in the woods, watching. Tapping her hammer twice, the head illuminated and she held it towards the treeline.

“You, who is watching, approach now, quickly.” Nolan and Leiah heard the commotion and drew their weapons. Emerging from the treeline was a beautiful elf adorned in purple armour and the colours of her fallen home of Darnassus. Staring at the ground she approached the Draenei as Voranaar lowered her hammer. 

“Are you our fourth member then?” The Elf nodded, pulling down her hood to reveal her short purple hair. “I am your Huntress, Alea Winterwind.” She looked up and pounded her chest in salute, Voranaar cocking her head and repeating the motion.

“Why the secrecy in the woods?” She nodded her head towards the tree’s, the Elf responding with a shrug. “I'm not the best with a new group of people, forgive my apprehensiveness.” She bowed slightly, the Draenei shaking her head and patting her shoulder. “Chin up. If you are every bit as capable as I have heard, you are a valued asset to this group.” beaming, Alea nodded as the group reconvened in the middle. “And that only leaves…”

In a flash, a burst of Arcane energy burst in the corner of the treeline. The four members jumped back, shielding their eyes as the brilliant energy flared. As the light subsided, there was a person, coughing and waving her arms to disperse some of the smoke. “Apologies friends…” came the sharp accented voice of an older Draenei, beaming now as she walked forward. She had long white hair pulled into a bun, long purple robes with bits of armour attached. She carried with her a brown staff with purple sigils adorning and a brilliant headpiece that capped it off. Smiling as she took each of the member’s hands into her own, she introduced herself one by one.

“Ah, Archmage Avelun, I have heard much about you,” Vora said, beaming as another member of her race was here, despite her tardiness.

“Yes, perhaps you have, and I have heard much of all of you as well. I look forward to providing any type of help I can to this task.”  
Satisfied, Voranaar unfurled her parchment and spread it out on the stump, the paper also seemingly enchanted to not be affected by the downpour and gestured the group to it.

“Now, I was provided with the plans to the manor and drew a quick sketch of what we are dealing with. The main floor has a foyer, dining room, kitchen, some sort of multipurpose room, a lounge, and then a small room with stairs to the top. There we have three guest chambers, a master bedroom, and multiple washrooms for each. Now, if we attack from the back door, and work our way room by room in this sort of a fashion, we have our best shot. Nolan, you and I will take point, with Alea and Avelun flanking us. We keep them safe. Leiah will have the task of picking off priority targets as we go. Any questions?”

Avelun and Alea shook their heads, while Nolan was seemingly distracted by each of the women he was now partnered with. Leiah piped up on her own. “Perhaps I could scout ahead once we get there? You saw me, I’m not touched by anyone. They will never see me coming.”

“I’d recommend against doing that.” Avelun mentioned her soft motherly voice an almost soothing thing to listen to. “We are already outnumbered by them, but we only make up for it in skill. We stand a better chance of sticking together.” Leiah shrugged, pouting a little and looking away. “Alright then….”

Satisfied, the group packed up the tent, doused their fire, and began the trek forward. Though the ground was almost marshlike from the days of run, the group made decent time. Voranaar and Nolan spent the entire time discussing how to make the plan better by debating who exactly should lead. Leiah spent her time ducking around in trees, practicing her stealth almost to the detriment of the group's progress, and Avelun and Alea hung out in the rear, mostly Avelun not letting Alea stay by herself.

“The other members told me you were hiding in the woods when you arrived.” The Draenei was older, but still young enough to keep pace with the Night Elf, though using her staff in this condition was still favourable. Alea nodded back, watching her feet as she moved along. “I understand, I am used to working alone as well. I think most of us are in this life. Still, it's important for people who feel like they are alone to eventually find some people they can at least be friends with, if only for a time.”

The Elf looked up and smiled. “Yeah… I think I'll be ok once we get to the fighting.” She looked forward and the pair noticed the remaining three of them had stopped. Looming at the bottom of this small hill was the manor itself. Two stories tall, the manor was surrounded by a wrought iron fence fifteen feet tall and a surrounding yard that was overgrown and unkept. On its own in the middle of nowhere, the manor conspicuously as a beacon in the area.

“Strange… no outside guards…” Alea said softly, walking forward. Vora nodded too, cocking her head as she gazed around. “Still, we stick to the plan.” Nolan rolled his eyes as the group slid their way down the hill. “With no guards, we should easily be able to charge in and kill them all.” The group crossed closer to the fence as Vora growled. “We stick....to... the…..plan!”

“Whatever hot stuff.” She sighed once again as she gestured to the gate. “Leiah, can you get this for us?” The young Rogue smirked as she went forward, squatting down. Leaning in, she moved her tools carefully through the lock, feeling each tumbler push and give way. For a girl young as she was, lockpicking felt easy. Moments later there was a soft click and she tossed the padlock to the side. “What an easy lock for a supposed ‘Crime Syndicate..” Pushing the gates open, the group made their way inside. 

“Carefully now, make sure we aren't spotted as we cross” came from Avelun as she looked around. Silently, the group made their way across, though it was made much easier by the sheer lack of guards in the area. Once at the backdoor, Vora turned again. “Alright Leiah, we need you again to…. Leiah?” Everyone looked around, noting their group was now only four. “I think she went to scout…” Nolan said, chuckling as Vora growled and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Foolish kid, she is going to get herself captured and killed. Alright, well our plan won't be as silent as I once thought.” Taking a deep breath she turned to the Warrior. “I can’t believe I need to say this, but you take point. Kick in the door and we will all just deal with things as they come. After that, we find Leiah, got it?” Grinning and cracking his knuckles, Nolan squared up to the door. Sword and shield out, Hammer and Libram at the ready and hands flaring, arrow knocked, and a gentle Arcane force swirling at the end of her staff, the group was ready to strike.

The explosive sound of Arcane energy bolstering a kick rang through the kitchen as the door caved in on itself. Nolan and Vora rushed in, their ranged counterparts bringing up the rear, as Vora shouted out. “Really? You couldn't kick a damn door in?” Nolan sputtered before the muffled sound of sprinting came throughout the manor. The group, noticing nobody present, made their way into the foyer, just in time to see a half a dozen thugs that had seemingly been lounging around now clattering to their feet to grab weapons. “Oi, we got intruders. Donny, get a message to the compound now!” One of the thugs nodded, sprinting to disappear into another room.

“Oh no, you don’t.” Avelun tapped her staff and fed Arcane energy into her free hand. Focusing her spell, she shot out a brilliant purple beam that struck the fleeing human. He stopped running, looking at his hands as the slowly began to cloven. His shrieking face slowly protruded, his cries morphing into bleats as his entire form shrunk and he fell onto all fours. Moments later, Donny, now a Sheep, scurried behind one of the sofa’s and hid from all the loud noises. Angered, the first thug brandished a long sword and charged towards the Archmage. “You will pay for that you bitch.” Immediately, a shiel was flung in his direction, battering his skull and knocking him back. “You want to kill her, you have to go through this first,” Nolan smirked, smacking his shield as he drove his blade forward. Striking true in the gullet of the man, he bashed him with his shield once more, ending his life. Immediately, he felt a bolt sink into his shoulder and he looked up. Some of them had retreated and found crossbows, using the upper balcony as sniping roosts. Tearing the bolts free, he held his shield aloft to deflect anymore.

“Uh guys, I could use a little bit of air support and TLC here.”

Alea nodded, pulling her bowstring back and letting her arrow fly. The brown shaft adorned with purple fletching sang as it flew true, piercing the neck of one crossbowman. In the meantime, the remaining four thugs on the ground began to charge Nolan, giving their ranged time to pick off anyone. “I can’t hold them all..” Snapping her Libram shut, Vora sent a column of light over Nolan, the Light seeping into his wound and closing it instantly. Now Brandishing her hammer, she stepped in front and took a mighty swing, cracking the skull of a distracted thug and killing him instantly.

“I can take these guys out with a spell… but I need some time and cover.” Avelun turned, her eyes flaring a brilliant purple, her robes billowing as she held her arms apart, the energy coursing from her staff to her hand and back again. Yanking her Libram free, Vora mouthed out a phrase quickly, a sigil popping out from the tome and matching the one flaring from her hand, before unleashing it as a wave of light. A brilliant sphere of luminous energy surrounded the mage as bolts rained toward her deflected off harmlessly. Satisfied, Vora returned to a Nolan who was deflecting blow after blow from untrained soldiers. Alea nocked another arrow, swiftly pegging the leg of one assailant, causing him to crumble, before another ended his life. Like the crackling sound of thunder, Avelun grunted and hurled a shimmering mass of purple energy. The balcony exploded, vaporizing two of the crossbowman, and sending the rest sailing off in various directions, their bodies falling limp.  
“I...need a moment after that one.” She fell to one knee and panted, holding onto her staff for support. “Don’t worry there madame, we are just.,” Nolan grunted as he stabbed one of the remaining thugs. “..mopping up.” Vora swung her hammer, knocking the last guy to the ground before another arrow came and stole the kill from her. The group looked around at the absolute carnage and destruction for a few moments, before relaxing. “That… that was a good fight, everyone gather in.” Vora placed her libram on a small table and raised her arms. One by one, a column of light hit each member of the part, revitalizing them, and closing any wounds suffered. Picking the book up and attaching it, Alea scratched her head as she squatted down and poked at one of the bodies.

“Seems strange that there were no guards outside, and no more than a dozen in this entire syndicate, don’t you guys think?” The rest of the members slowly nodded as Avelun suddenly spoke up. “The sheep!” Everyone turned to watch as one man lay behind the couch, this “Donny”, his body exhausted from both transformations. Vora grabbed him by the collar, lifting him and pinning him.

“What’s going on here? There is supposed to be a whole crime syndicate here, not a few men.” Donny laughed, his eyes flickering slightly. “You should… you should go and check the basement…” His eyes flickered once more, now turning deep purple, almost black. Purple ooze dribbled from his mouth and Vora dropped him in disgust and fright. After writhing a few moments, the colour came back, but the body was cold. Crouching, she closed his lids and looked to the group.

“Well, I'm not a fan of following an enemy’s instruction, but we don’t have much choice do we? We investigate this, and keep our eyes out for Leiah.” Everyone nodding, the group found their way to a set of stairs and made their way to the cellar

***

Leiah peaked around the corner of the house, seeing everyone look around for her. Of course, they needed her to pick the lock, but they wouldn't go in without her also. All she would do is a quick perimeter of the manor, look in some windows, and report back. In her mind it made sense. They were busting into a fortress of a manor, and having some intel made sense! Even if Vora was a charismatic (and attractive) leader, this was on her to do. Making her way to a side window, Leiah stepped on top of a small crate and peered in. It was a living room of sorts. With a few guys asleep on some furniture, with a few more playing cards in the middle. To her, the looked weak and if done right, the group could easily ambush the weaponless men. Satisfied, she was just about to leave when she heard and felt a large explosion. Immediately, everyone looked around to the explosion, but one pair of eyes had managed to catch hers at the window. Panicking, she hopped off the box but tripped as it toppled over, the boxes shattering with a loud crash and her landing flat on her bottom. In pain and disoriented, she printed back towards the back door of the house. She had to make it inside to support her friends. However, rounding the corner she saw a masked figure looming… and then darkness.

The masked figure looked over the knocked-out body off the young Rogue. Sheathing its mace, the figure in long black robes and an ornate, yet disturbing mask scooped Leiah up and began walking away from the manor. A few moments later the ruckus inside stopped, the figure acknowledging to himself that the intruders had made it through the first obstacle. “It's just how it was predicted… like the master said.” The voice muffled to itself through the mask. A hand extended and reached out, brushing the scarred wound on her forehead, reaching the side of the mountains in which the manor was nestled near. Placing the hand on the stone, purple energy glowed on a portion before disappearing, revealing a passage. Leah was carried inside, the passage sealed up, and nobody was the wiser.


End file.
